Sunday, January 13, 2008

Stop! (BANG) Or I'll shoot!

In case you were wondering, it's probably not a great idea to be hanging out in the Toronto entertainment district at 3:15 a.m. Especially if you're in a luxury Lincoln SUV and you've got a ponytail.

In February of 2006, Toronto police officers arrested Irshad Ahmed and Omar Betty for failure to stop, failure to comply, and obstructing police.

Their trial is currently being conducted at Old City Hall, and some interesting evidence has emerged in the form of a voice mail recording.

When Ahmed and Betty were stopped by police, Ahmed immediately called his lawyer. (Oh, like you don't have your lawyer on speed dial?) It turned out to be an ingenious decision, as his lawyer's answering machine captured the entire exchange between the suspects and the police.

And what an exchange! The tape captures officers telling Ahmed and Betty to open the doors and get out of their vehicle. When the two did not immediately comply, the police smashed the window open and used a taser on Ahmed.

He was then handcuffed and placed on the ground.

What was particularly striking was the contrast between the profanity used by the police and the seemingly compliant behaviour of Ahmed, who repeatedly addressed the officer as "sir."

As well, one of the officers on the tape can clearly be heard to tell Ahmed, "I'll break your fucking ponytail," which, you've got to admit, is a pretty stylish and creative threat, even if it's not entirely practical.

At the trail last week this tape was taken from the lawyers answering machine and introduced by the defense into evidence of excessive force by the police, namely Constable David Rubbini. (Below)

Officer (Rubbini): Open the door!

Ahmed: Why sir? Why sir?

Officer: I am warning you.

Ahmed: Can you tell me one more time why I am under arrest?

Officer: Open the door now (police dog can be heard barking). Open the door now. Get out the door now! (at this point police smash the driver and passenger side windows of the car).

Ahmed: I'm coming out sir. I'm opening the door. I'm opening the door sir. I'm opening the door. I'm opening the door. (screaming is heard as Ahmed, who is on the driver's side, is hit by a taser shot, fired by an officer on the passenger side of the car).

Officer: Unlock the door now. Get on the ground or I will let the dog in. On the ground. On the ground.

Ahmed: Okay (Ahmed is now placed on the ground face first in the broken glass and handcuffed behind his back. A police dog can be heard barking loudly on the tape and there are sounds of police and paramedics talking on the radio).

Officer: I'll break your fucking ponytail (Ahmed has his hair in a ponytail).